Only a Hero Could
by one-of-the-order01
Summary: Hermione asks for special tutoring in DADA but falls madly in love with her tutor. She, Harry and Ron embark on another dangerous adventure, meeting Lord Voldemort. Her tutor runs to the rescue but it nearly kills him. Short twist on Prizoner of Azkaban.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Harry Potter merchandise, stories, films, labels etc; hence I am not JK Rowling, much as I'd like to be.

**Only a Hero Could**

Hermione stared, open mouthed at the pair of them.

"_What did you just say?"_ she snarled.

"Nothing, its just that, you seem to be spending a lot of time with him lately, that's all," Harry was elbowing Ron in the ribs desperately, trying to make him shut up but it was too late. _Surprising how he can talk with his foot in his mouth_ thought Harry.

"So, you think that just because I asked for extra tutoring that I'm in love with him or something? Ron that's-"

"_And_ you drew love hearts all around your Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons on your timetable, just like you did when you had that _massive_ crush on Lockhart." Hermione blushed furiously and Harry clapped his hand to his forehead in exasperation. _There goes the other foot._

"That was a long time ago and anyway – _what_ were you doing in my bag?" She put her hands on her hips; a warning sign at the very least, but Ron continued to talk.

"Well I think the real question here is why _wasn't_ I looking in your bag? I mean I'm just trying to protect you!" _Wow, was it possible for Ron to have three feet?_ Harry thought in wonderment.

"Protect me from what? Myself?! I'm not two Ronald!" Uh oh, she used the 'R' word.

"Yeah – but – but - " Ron was struggling now, "Back me up Harry!" Hermione gave Harry such a glare that he thought it best not to take sides. He decided to put his evasive tactics into practise and said;

"Er, gotta go! Lot's of homework and that!" and he scampered off before Hermione _or_ Ron came crashing down on him like a ton of bricks.

"Well _Ronald_, I'm off to my tutoring lesson! Unless _you_ have a problem with that!" She stormed off leaving Ron, gobsmacked, to sidle up to the common room.

_Ronald can be such an idiot! _She thought. _I only want to boost my DADA score and he thinks it's some sort of conspiracy. Ever since the Lockhart taught here he's been on my case no end!_ She burst through the door into the DADA classroom to find her tutor already waiting for her.

"Ah Miss Granger," he welcomed, "Something the matter?"

"No, just my friends that's all." She forced a smile and sat down next to the Professor.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes, page 123 I think; Grindylowes! If you will," he handed her a textbook and she flicked absent-mindedly to page 123, "Are you sure you're alright? I know what it can be like to have disapproving friends, but when you look closely you'll find they'll always be there for you."

"Mm. I'm fine thank you, Professor Lupin." She smiled falsely and began to read through the text. About half an hour later the Professor closed the book and stood up.

"Now, I think it's time I taught you the spell to stun Grindylowes. Stand up," he said. "It's a simple spell; _stupify_. Easy enough to say, don't you think?" he chuckled. She loved it when he did that. "The movement is pretty simple too – just a small jab in the direction of the target you want to stun. Shall we try?" He flicked his wand and a target appeared out of nowhere and began to move side to side. "Try and stun the moving target." He instructed.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply and raised her wand. She felt nervous with the Professor standing so close, but she tried to calm her nerves. She focused on the target and yelled;

"STUPIFY!" A beam of red light shot from the tip of her wand and hit the target, but at the outer-most ring.

"Bravo! But try tilting your wand like this," he wrapped his hand round Hermione's and moved her hand slightly. She felt her face grow very hot as his eyes rested on her face. He let go and stood back.

"STUPIFY!" she yelled again, but this time her spell hit the bullseye directly.

"Well done! Very well done indeed!" he beamed, "Ah," he looked at the clock, "I believe this session is over." Hermione's heart sank.

"Same time tomorrow?" she asked wistfully.

"I'm afraid I can't tomorrow, I have to – er – find my inner self, so to speak." She thought this a bit strange, but considered that he probably had lots of marking to do, or some strange obsession for yoga. She turned quickly to pick up her bag and accidentally kicked it over. She picked it up hastily and hurried to the door.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes?" she span around.

"Er – you dropped this," he held out her timetable bashfully; _the one with the hearts on,_ she thought. Dammit! She took it from his grasp as her eyes met his. She wanted get lost in them forever but realised she was probably holding his schedule up and left, feeling the weight of Lupin's gaze following her out.

She sat alone in the dorm on the bench beneath the window, staring out at the dark grounds. She was thinking about the previous days DADA tutoring session. _God Lupin was sexy_. DAMMIT! _Did I just think that? Again? God was there no end?_ _No. _She told herself. _He's a teacher. It's completely unethical. Besides, he would never…_she remembered his dark gaze as his eyes met hers…_NO! Still, she wanted to see him. But what excuse could she make for bursting into his office? "Professor, I seem to have mislaid my Potions textbook, did I leave it here?" Oh boy was she good!_

She jumped up and rushed down to the common room and through the portrait hole, stifling a snigger as she saw Harry's face as Ron beat him _again_ at Wizard's Chess.

When she arrived outside Professor Lupin's office, the corridors were already dark. She checked her watch. Nine o'clock. She raised her hand and knocked gently on the door. No answer. She knocked louder. Still no answer. What had he said last night? _"I have to – er – find my inner self."_ Well she might as well try. She took a deep breath and entered. His office was shrouded in darkness; the faint glow of moonlight through the windows was the only source of light. It appeared there was no one in the room. She looked around and was just turning to go when a shadow under the staircase shifted.

"Professor?" she said, half whispering, "I think I left my-" she gasped. Out of the darkness a creature, stooped over shuffled into the moonlight. Its face was wolf-like, silvery fangs protruding from its massive jaws. The eyes were blood-shot, the pupils dilated. A torn pair of trousers hung from its waist, faintly resembling the one's the Professor had worn the day previously. _The Professor._ She choked. Had this – this creature _eaten_ him? Oh god.

"PROFESSOR!" she screamed. "PROFESSOR WHERE ARE YOU!!!" the creature advanced, towering over her. As she looked closer, she saw long, claw-like scars across its face _just like Lupin's…_

"_Professor?"_ she stretched out a hand gingerly towards the creatures face. It nuzzled gently into her palm, and then withdrew sharply making her jump. It walked back to its corner, its eyes glinting in the darkness. They were Lupin's eyes. She lingered for a moment, then backed slowly to the door, shutting it quietly as she exited. She slumped against it, a fat tear rolling silently down her cheek, her whole body shaking like a leaf. _He was a werewolf._ _She was in love with a werewolf._ Wait a minute – she wasn't in _love_ with him was she? She hugged her knees, crying silently. She was so confused. If only this were in a textbook – _then_ she would understand. If only.

She couldn't remember how she'd got back to the girls' dorm, but there she laid, the sheets cocooned around her, still fully clothed. She got up, her face stiff, stained with tear-tracks. Her hair was ruffled and there were dark bags under her eyes. Then she remembered. _Lupin_. She ran down the spiral staircase, through the portrait-hole and into the great hall. She looked up at the teacher's table and noticed there was a seat empty; _Lupin wasn't there._ She stood there a few moments, considering paying him a visit, but at that the bell went and she wasn't about to risk her 100 percent attendance. Besides, he was probably still sleeping. Last night must have been tough, not that her unexpected visit had made it any easer. She decided she'd visit him that night. Maybe that at least could ease her guilt.

All through the day she couldn't pay attention in class and didn't remember answering a single question. _'Very un-Hermione-like'_ as Ron had put it. She ran up to the common room, dumped her bag in the squishy armchair by the fire and sprinted up to Lupin's office. She knocked politely on the door, although it was quite obvious that after last night's discovery, all pretences of being polite and self-reserved had clearly evapourated. Lupin's voice, slightly dry but not unrecognisable answered.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit under the weather today, no visitors. Sorry," he croaked.

"Professor, I just wanted to make sure you were ok," she said through the door. She heard the scraping of a chair on wooden floorboards and heavy footsteps. He unlocked the door a crack, just so much so that she could see his eyes. They were dark and blood-shot and like her own, were draped in shadow.

"Hermione, sorry. I didn't know it was you, come in, if you think you can handle looking at me," _Hermione. That was a bit informal. Dammit. If only he weren't a teacher…_ he hurriedly stopped himself thinking, remembering the student was still there. He opened the door a bit wider, just enough for her to squeeze through. Once inside Hermione stepped aside as he locked the door. He turned to face her and she saw the full extent of his transformation. His face was black and blue and his arms were scratched, his hands bearing heavy lacerations. He was wearing a white vest-top, providing her with a view of his sculpted muscles. He blushed, following her gaze. "I'll just-" he reached for his jacket.

"It's ok, I'll get it," She walked over to his desk, taking the brown jacket off the back of his chair. She returned, noticing that his whole body seemed to be riddled with fatigue. He smiled weakly, pulling on his jacket. An awkward silence followed as the pair looked around the room nervously, avoiding making eye contact.

"Miss Granger, if you don't want to continue your tutoring, of course I understand completely," he blurted out hurriedly.

"Professor, I would never be so prejudicial as to judge you like that!"

"You wouldn't be the first," he sighed deeply.

"No Professor, I would like to continue tutoring. If that's ok with you," she said hopefully.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, I disobeyed you! You told me not to come for tutoring lessons but I came anyway." She said quickly. She seemed to think that saying it faster would ease the impact.

"It's ok."

"You mean, you're not angry?"

"No, I'm not angry Miss Granger."

"Call me Hermione." She said casually, "So, do we carry on now?"

"Not now, no. I'm too tired," a pause, "Now you know my secret, I trust Harry and Ron know too?"

"I would never tell them that unless you gave me permission!" she said indignantly.

"No, I should have given you more credit than that. Now, off with you. I bet you have homework and I feel like a good nap."

"Tomorrow then?" she said as she made her way to the door.

"Tomorrow." He smiled sadly, as if he was not sure whether he could last that long. She unlocked the door and stepped out. She turned and whispered;

"Good night Professor." Just before the door clicked shut, Lupin whispered

"Good night, Hermione," only loud enough for her, and her alone, to hear. She closed the door quietly and retreated to the common room, smiling all the way.

The next day, Hermione got up as usual but brushed her hair timidly between lessons, and applied her make-up more carefully in the morning. She wanted to make the perfect impression for her lesson with Lupin tonight. At lunch she stared absent-mindedly into her spaghetti bolognaise, unawares that Harry was talking to her.

"…today Hermione. Hermione?!" he finished, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Hmm? Sorry Harry, didn't quite catch that. What did you say?"

"I was just saying you looked nice today. That's all and, aren't the Cannons the _worst_ Quiddich team ever?"

"Oh, thank you and er – I don't know." She returned to staring avidly into her untouched meal as Ron and Harry continued their heated debate.

The last two lessons seemed to go on for two days, not two hours regardless of the fact that it was double Transfiguration; her favourite subject. She half-dawdled up to Professor Lupin's office, brushing her hair distractedly all the way. She knocked on the door and entered, dumping her bag next to her seat.

"Ah, hello Hermione! Today we're going to rush straight into the practical, as I think you're ready. Want to guess what we're going to be doing?" he greeted.

"Er – Boggarts?" she said, eyeing the big black trunk in the centre of the room suspiciously as it rattled ominously.

"Well done! Now as you probably know, a boggart will take the form of what you fear the most, so don't be alarmed. Greater witches and wizard's than you have had trouble defeating a boggart. All you have to do is make the image you see comical in one way or another and shout '_Ridikulus'._ Ready?" he moved to the trunk as Hermione nodded dubiously. She was afraid of what she was going to see, even though she didn't really know what it would be.

"Three – two – one - " he lifted open the lid of the trunk and something – or someone – quite tall and dressed in a shabby brown suit flopped onto the floor. Hermione screamed, her outstretched hand clutching her wand so tight her knuckles were white. She looked down at her worst fear. It was Professor Lupin. He was sprawled on the floor, a pool of scarlet blood surrounding his head, almost like a halo. His eyes were lifeless and empty, staring up at her. She screamed again, sinking to her knees, sobbing heavily. The real Professor Lupin looked on aghast and said rather shakily;

"Er – Ridikulus…" nothing happened. "RIDIKULUS!" he shouted more confidently. The boggart turned into a silvery moon, and then vanished in a puff of smoke. He shut the lid on the trunk and walked slowly over to Hermione, still sobbing quietly on her knees. He knelt down and rubbed her back comfortingly. "Shh. There there, it was only a boggart," he cooed. Suddenly Hermione wrapped her arms around the Professor, still sobbing. Lupin hardly knew anyone who would willingly, knowingly hug a werewolf and, not one to shun compassion, hugged her back. They sat there a few moments in each other's arms, savouring the moment. Hermione looked up into his eyes pathetically, eyes brimming with fresh tears. Her face was stained with tears, well washed after her encounter with the boggart.

"I'm s-s-sorry," she sniffed.

"Not to worry," he said, brushing the tears from her cheeks, "To be honest, I'm quite flattered for my corpse to be your worst fear," he said truthfully. A hint of a watery smile crept across her lips and the Professor smiled warmly in return. A few minutes passed, the pair gazing into each other's eyes, when the Professor remembered that the whole scene was already inappropriate and told himself half-heartedly that he had to let go and end the session.

"C'mon, there we go," he stood her up and held out her bag for her to take. "I think that's enough for one day, don't you think?" she nodded sadly, turning to leave.

"Er – Hermione?" the Professor called her back as she wondered what she'd dropped this time. She turned, "Um, er – good night - " he said gingerly, cursing himself for his shyness. She smiled and returned the farewell.

Hermione's extra tutoring lessons continued for some months, her relationship with the Professor growing stronger with each meeting, despite both people restraining their feelings as mush as their hearts would allow. One night, when Lupin sat alone in his office, marking papers, he glanced idly at the Marauders Map sprawled out on his desk that he had, quite recently, confiscated from Harry. He did a double take; such was the shock of what he saw. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione were running towards the Whomping Willow chasing after what appeared to be _Peter Pettigrew. _Quite impossible, considering that Pettigrew was allegedly dead. He abandoned his work and ran out of the castle onto the dark grounds. The chill of the night bit into him almost immediately, making him wish he'd had the sense to pull of a jacket. He sprinted across the lawn and up to the Whomping Willow, which had already been stunned. He scrambled through the hole at its roots and half ran, half tripped his way through the long corridor to the shrieking shack. He pressed his ear to the door and listened to the conversation going on inside.

"Good work, Wormtail," said a high-pitched, dry voice. _Wormtail?_ The only people who knew Pettigrew by that name was James Potter, Sirius Black and himself, none of whom could be the owner of this voice. He listened harder. "You have successfully lured young Harry here into my presence. Shame about the other two though. Bind them." Remus listened as Wormtail cast a binding charm over Ron and Hermione. _Hermione._ Oh god he hoped she was all right. He resisted the urge to barge in right then and there and listened on.

"So, young Harry, you finally come face to face with your arch enemy in the flesh!" the man let out a high-pitched laugh. "Am I what you expected? Am I worthy to bask in the glory that is the famous Harry Potter? Ha! I would normally begin with introductions, but rumour has it, you're almost as famous as me! But even you will never be as famous as I, Lord Voldemort." Lupin quailed. What was going _on?_ First Pettigrew, now this! "But now that we're here, I might as well kill your friends; they are of no use to me," Remus heard Hermione squeal in terror and decided now was the time to act.

"AVADA KADAV-" Lupin burst through the door and lunged in front of the children, shouting;

"EXPELLIAMUS!" Voldemort's wand did not fly from his hands, much as to be expected coming from the greatest dark wizard of all time, but he did at least manage to reflect the spell.

"R-Remus!" stuttered Peter.

"Peter," acknowledged Lupin, not taking his eyes off Voldemort. "I should have known you'd betray us! I knew Sirius would never betray Lily and James. I hope you're happy! You killed your own best friend!" Lupin spat, still not shifting his gaze.

"R-R-Remus I-"

"Stand aside Wormtail," hissed Voldemort. Wormtail obliged fearfully, as his master stepped towards Lupin.

"Ah yes, the werewolf. I believe we've not met before," Voldemort held out his hand, which Lupin did not take. "Come come now, lower your wand. After all, we're all _friends_ here, aren't we?" he said, almost mockingly. "Stand aside so I can kill these pitiful fools," he gestured towards Ron and Hermione, still bound. Remus shook his head slowly. "I said _stand aside_," he repeated.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU!" he cried. He was surprised by himself, never had he protested so much in his life. Never had he protected a loved one, or even had a loved one to protect. Voldemort raised his wand and made a quick swishing movement with his wand across Lupin's chest. A shard of blue flame expelled from his wand slashed the werewolf deeply across the chest. The man gave a yelp of pain, crumpling to the floor, a bloody mess of torn rags. At that precise moment, Professor Dumbledore burst through the open door, accompanied buy Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

"Wormtail, come!" Voldemort swished his cape and vanished in a puff of black smoke as Wormtail disapparated after his master. The invisible ropes binding Hermione and Ron disappeared along with Voldemort and Hermione knelt over the bleeding Lupin.

"Severus, alert Poppy quickly. Minerva, take Mr Potter and Mr Weasley back up to the castle, if you please," Dumbledore instructed.

"H-Hermione…" the werewolf coughed, blood gurgling in his throat.

"P-professor…" she sobbed, "D-don't leave m-me! H-hold on, p-p-please!" She bent her head over his limp body, her sobs violently shuddering though her whole body.

"Stand aside, Miss Granger. I will teleport him to the hospital wing immediately," She stroked his hair as she watched the light leaving his eyes. Dumbledore raised his wand and muttered some incantation as Lupin's body vanished. Hermione crumpled, a lost soul completely alone, regardless of the other man in the room. She sobbed, swallowed by grief, falling into unconsciousness.

Two days later, Hermione sat alone on the bench beneath the window in the girls' dorm, her usual spot for the last few days. She was hugging her knees, staring blindly out onto the grounds, not really seeing them. She was beyond grief, beyond pain of any kind. She had stopped thinking about Lupin, as she had not been allowed to see him at all since that night. Of course, Dumbledore had explained to her Harry and Ron everything; how he had suspected a page of Riddle's diary might have remained in tact, how Wormtail had faked his own death and found that very page, reviving his master, how he, Dumbledore, had rushed into Lupin's office and, finding him not present had gone to his desk to write him a note, and spotted the Marauders Map.

She was so lost in thought, she didn't hear the door open quietly and someone come to stand right behind her. The mysterious person came to sit next to her, and she turned and gasped.

"Professor!" she flung her arms around him, but withdrew as he winced with pain.

"Hey, not so rough, I've only just been let out of the Hospital Wing." His clothes were as shabby as ever, his face slightly more drawn and fatigued, but there was light in his eyes, light that gave her hope. She hugged him more gently now, taking in his scent, whispering into his hair.

"I was so afraid. I thought you'd – you'd-" she stopped, on the verge of tears. Lupin pushed her away slightly, just enough so he could see into her eyes.

"I know. I must have given you quite a shock back in the Shrieking Shack,"

"You're my hero," he smiled, smoothing her hair, tucking it behind her ear. He looked deeply into her eyes, searching for what he wanted to see the most. "Hermione, I – I-" she pressed her finger to his lips to silence him and leaned in unbearably close, teasing him. He decided to give up with words, making up for it by kissing her warm lips gently. She kissed him back and wound her fingers into his hair. Lupin realised this was the happiest he'd ever felt in his life, as Hermione thought the same. They finally broke apart and Hermione nuzzled into his chest, his chin resting on the top of her head. He kissed it warmly, affectionately in a way only a werewolf could. Only a hero could.

THE END

I know, it's a crappy ending but I'm not very good at that. Hermione Lupin fanfic's are my fav. so I really wanted to do one myself with a bit of tragedy. Originally I was gonna kill Lupin off but decided against it; I'm a sucker for happy endings! Hope you enjoyed it; REVIEWS PLEASE!!!


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